Memories of an Autumn Wind
by SkywalkerT-65
Summary: It's been fourteen months since Ichigo Kurosaki gave up his powers. Fourteen months of aimlessly going through life. It might have continued that way, if not for his father dragging him to a fair. If not for finding a faded red ribbon in his room. If not for running into a girl he had forgotten about. Well, who ever said his life was simple anyway?
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Fourteen Months. A little over a year. If you asked someone on the street 'how much could happen over a year?' they would probably tell you some silly answer. That a lot could happen, but surely, not enough to change your life? Unless you won the lottery or something. Heh. Those people didn't have any idea. Just how _much_ could change for someone, after but a single year. Those people hadn't had to fight for their life. Hadn't all but died, so many times that they lost count. How could they possibly understand how much _his_ life had changed? When they hadn't had the one thing that gave their life meaning...torn away by their _own_ choice.

Zangetsu. The old bastard always was right, in the end. It hadn't really been a choice. It was give up his powers, or die and see everyone he cared about die. He didn't care about his own life, but he never could give up protecting everyone.

Until he did.

"Ichigo! It's almost time to head out!"

Yuzu's voice. Turning brown eyes to look at his door, still adorned with the number 'fifteen', Ichigo Kurosaki sighed deeply. He knew he was distant. That he didn't smile, or even scowl, anymore. He thought he hid his feelings well...but he never was good at that. Every time his friends ran out to deal with a Hollow, he flinched. He resisted the urge to stand up and run with them. Ichigo had to keep his feelings from showing, or he'd just worry them. He couldn't protect them, and had to _be_ protected.

He wasn't adapting to lacking power well, at all, and his family saw that. Even his idiot of a father. It was _that_ bastard's idea to take the family on a trip to a fair at the big mall at the center of town. A 'family bonding exercise, because my dear Masaki wouldn't want her son to be sad!'. End quote.

_I should hit him again, but it wouldn't do any good. He doesn't even feel them anymore._

Sighing again, Ichigo pulled his lanky frame from his bed. Muscles gained through training remained, and let him at least make an honest living. Few people were as _physically_ strong as he was. It was too bad that no amount of physical strength could protect his friends. He wasn't Chad, who could punch a Hollow's head off. Even if he could _see_ one.

"Right, where did I leave my stuff…" Ichigo placed his hands on his thighs, patting down for his phone. He had absently checked it for something, _anything_, from Rukia or the others. When nothing was there… "Probably shouldn't have thrown that, should I?"

Grumbling now, the teenager got down on his knees and started rooting around underneath his bed. He ignored the feeling of dust and other things, hunting around until his hand came upon two objects. One very familiar, one rather less so. Huh.

"That's where it ended up, eh?" Ichigo pulled his hand out, staring at the carved wood first. His Substitute Badge. The Combat Pass. Whatever one wanted to call it. "I don't even know why I still have this…"

Weighing his options, he finally shrugged, and tossed it back over his head. The thing hadn't done anything since he lost his powers, anyway. It was just a hunk of wood now. Besides, his attention was drawn to the fabric that had come out with it. Fabric that he honestly didn't remember ever getting.

_Where did _you _come from?_

A slim red ribbon, faded and dust covered. His first thought was that it belonged to Yuzu. That was discarded in short order. His youngest sister prefered different ribbons. Karin wouldn't be caught dead with this. Was it Orihime's? Rangiku? Rukia?

...man, he forgot how many women had been in his room.

"I don't think it's from any of them, either." Ichigo scowled deeply, holding the old ribbon up to his eyes. _Why_ did it feel familiar? "How in the world did this get in here?"

And why was he suddenly feeling like he was missing something? There was something, at the back of his mind...

'_Oh you noticed...it really is my color...why'd you go and buy it…'_

Ichigo groaned, and held the ribbon to his suddenly pounding head. "Ow! Goddamnit! Why is this so familiar?"

"Ichigo! Get down here right now, or Daddy is going to come break your door down!" His father's annoying voice wasn't helping, either.

"Shut up, old man! Do you want to wake half the neighborhood?!" Ichigo shouted down, the ribbon forgotten, even as his hand shoved it into his shirt pocket. "I'll be right down, as soon as I find my phone!"

"Did you lose your phone? You delinquent of a son! Why, Masaki would be so upset with you…"

_That_ was the last straw. Ichigo forgot about his phone, and stormed to his door, already plotting how he was getting his father back for that one.

"I'll show you _delinquent_ you little…"

Through it all, the old ribbon sat in his pocket, forgotten as quickly as he had found it.

* * *

"Why'd you drag me to this again?" Ichigo complained, looking over at his father.

Isshin Kurosaki grinned back, dressed in quite possibly the _ugliest _purple suit the man owned. "Because you've been down in the dumps lately, my son! And as your father, it is my fatherly duty to cheer you up!"

"Old man…"

"Also, your sisters are worried about you." Isshin allowed the levity to leave his voice, in a rare moment of seriousness. His dark eyes had hardened, as a hand lifted up to gesture at the younger Kurosaki siblings.

Yuzu and Karin were busy looking through the various stalls. Yuzu animatedly chatting to her sister, who was feigning disinterest, while sending the odd look back at her brother.

"They can't hide it any better than _you_ do, Ichigo," Isshin continued, reaching a hand up to rub at his brow. "Honestly, I'm worried myself. This isn't like you."

Ichigo turned his head, and avoided meeting his father's eyes. "..."

"And that's why I brought you out here. Because you need to get out of your room, and meet a nice gi-"

Just like that, the moment was broken, as Ichigo's fist planted itself into his father's gut. Isshin crumpled with a drawn out 'whhhhyyy', and his son scoffed. The man just couldn't be serious for more than _five minutes_, could he? Leaving his idiot of a parent to writhe in pain on the ground, the teenager planted his hands in his pockets, and went off on his own. He ignored the various people milling about the mall. It wasn't hard to duck and weave through the crowd. None of them knew him anyway.

No.

None of them would know him, would they? Even people at his school only knew him as 'the orange haired guy who rents himself out to sports teams'. None of them cared about _him_. His actual friends were probably watching for Hollows. And who even knew what the Shinigami were up to. It was just Ichigo and his family, with a bunch of complete strangers for company.

_God, why'd the old man have to do this? I could be working or something._ Not that Ichigo enjoyed his job, or his crazy boss, mind you. _Or at least playing that game Tatsuki lent me. Instead of…_

Trailing off in his mental grousing, the former Substitute looked up. And up some more. Somehow, in his annoyed wandering, he had found himself at the foot of the ferris wheel that dominated this part of Karakura. He had never ridden it himself. Didn't really see the appeal.

Why, then, did he feel like he should have? His hand absently reached into his pocket, pulling the old ribbon free. He looked down at it, and then back up that ferris wheel. The teen bit his lip, and scowled. What was it...

"Heeeeyyyy, whatcha doin'? Got someone you're waiting for?"

Ichigo turned his head, blinking very slowly. A girl, maybe a little younger than him, had come up beside him. She was barely taller than Rukia had been, with slightly-longer purple hair unbound over her shoulders. She wore a bright grin underneath orange eyes, staring up at him. Without a care in the world.

There was something familiar about that look. About that girl.

'_Ichigo! We should ride the ferris wheel!'_

Doing his best to ignore the throbbing behind his eyes, Ichigo gave the girl a flat look. "I'm here with my family. Why are _you_ here?"

The obvious implication behind his words didn't pass the girl, who laughed at his sour look. "Oh, no reason! I just saw you staring at the ferris wheel and thought I'd see why." Her slim face and full lips scrunched up a little, as the girl pointed up at the imposing ride. "I mean, _I_ like high places. There's something so...relaxing about it, y'know? Like you can…"

"Forget all your worries." Ichigo finished her sentence, without even realizing what he was doing.

_Why did I say that? That's so cliche it isn't even funny!_

The girl didn't seem to care, just spinning in place a little as she nodded. Her purple hair bounced with each movement, and her skirt fluttered in a non-existent breeze. "Exactly! See, you get it too!" Her blinding grin never once faded, even when she fell back against the wall, and looked up with a small sigh. A happy sigh. "No one else really does. Everyone laughs at me when I eat lunch on the roof, or run around on the bridge. But I _like_ being up high."

Somehow, Ichigo knew she would say that. There was something about this girl, tickling the back of his mind, like an itch he couldn't quite reach. She wasn't from Karakura High and she wasn't one of his friends. Not even part of Orihime's clique. Who was she?

'_My name's...nice to meet you...Ichigo huh…'_

A question that would have to wait, considering the girl gasped in what was _probably_ exaggerated shock. She had bounced back off the wall, and pointed her finger at Ichigo's hand. The teenager followed her finger, noticing the ribbon fluttering in his grip. Underneath the lights strung over the open roof of the mall, it seemed to shimmer a bit despite its faded and aged condition. Huh.

"Where did you _find_ that?!" The girl's bright orange eyes were wide, and her mouth was opened in a little 'o' of shock. "That's my ribbon! I lost that, god, almost two years ago! Where-how-"

Ichigo held up his hands, blinking at her overreaction. "Whoa whoa, slow down there. This is _your_ ribbon?" He looked down at the red fabric, absently running a thumb over the coarse material. "How do you know it's yours, and not my sister's?"

A little _harrumph_ came from the petite girl, as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her green school uniform shifted with the movement, while she spoke up with a condescending tone. "Because I got it _here_, silly. I'd recognize it anywhere! A good friend bought me that, when I forgot I tried it on. What was his name…"

Her eyes looked appraisingly, up and down Ichigo's body. A thoughtful expression crossed her pretty face.

"Come to think, you kinda remind me of him! Like, a lot!" Her smile had returned now, even when she reached her hands out to try and snatch the ribbon from Ichigo's hands. The former substitute pulled it back, causing the girl to pout a little. "Hey, no fair! Give it back!"

Ichigo snorted, "I don't even know your name, why would I give it back? I've had this thing for years!"

"...seriously? You don't, like, wear it do you?" The girl sent a disbelieving look at him, smirking in amusement. "Gotta say, it would clash _horribly_ with your hair."

"Cut it out, wise guy." Ichigo stuffed the ribbon back in his pocket, and resisted the urge to reach out and flick the girl in the forehead. Something he would do with Rukia he wouldn't do to some random girl. "No, I _don't_ wear it. It had to be important, or I wouldn't have kept it."

They seemed to be at an impasse. Ichigo didn't want to give up the ribbon, and the girl didn't want to let it go. Both of them, though the former substitute didn't know it, felt like this situation was familiar. Reversed, but familiar. The tall boy holding the ribbon that the short girl wanted. To Ichigo, the girl was tickling something, just beneath the surface. To the girl, Ichigo was _so much_ like the boy who had given her the ribbon in the first place. Someone who she just couldn't quite remember.

Nothing but a shock of orange hair and an annoyed scowl.

And for Ichigo, he kept hearing a voice, whispering in the back of his head.

'_...you didn't have to do that...you're so uptight…'_

Gritting his teeth against the pounding headache, Ichigo sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Look, if the thing is that special, maybe I could give it back."

"Really?!" The girl stared up at him with hopeful eyes, practically vibrating in place.

"Yeah. But only if you tell me your name, because I don't want to just give something to a random girl."

And, unspoken, was the thought that this girl was familiar. Maybe her name would knock some webs loose, or something. It wouldn't be the first time.

The girl smirked, and waved a hand. "Pfft, that's _easy_. My name's Senna!"

'_My name's Senna.'_

"What did you just say?" Ichigo asked, deathly serious. That name. He didn't know it, did he? He had never known anyone named _Senna_. Yet..._yet_…

'_Ichigo, you're such a meanie! Why'd you leave me and run off like that?'_

'_Oi! I was doing our _job _you know!'_

The girl, 'Senna', blinked confusedly. "My name? Why're you being so mean all of a sudden?" Her eyes widened, and she pointed a finger at him. "What's _your_ name, anyway? It's polite to introduce yourself first."

"Ichigo Kurosaki," the teen ground out, feeling another stab of pain. Another memory, of a girl smugly telling him that it was polite to give his own name first. A girl dressed as a Shinigami, who had just come out of nowhere.

Flashes of white ran through his mind. White and red. A girl on a pillar of leaves, twirling through the air. A man with white hair and a scar, dragging the girl away under his arm. The stabbing pain of a spear in his gut, and his heart breaking at failing to protect someone _again_.

'_Ichigo!'_

'_Senna!'_

'_Ichigoooooo!'_

Feeling his legs give out from underneath him, Ichigo fell to his knees. His hands, ribbon still clutched tight, fisted in his short hair. He grit his teeth, and fought back winces of pain as memories flashed faster and faster. The girl, her face always just out of sight, laughing at him. She fell back on his bed, kicking her legs at him childishly. She threw a fit, when he bought her stuff and refused to ride the ferris wheel.

She smiled softly, as they helped a little boy find his father. Her eyes sparkled at him, the barest hint of orange in his mind, when he carried the boy on his shoulders. They were having _fun_, despite ignoring an important mission. They were enjoying each other being there.

'_I can't imagine a world without you, Ichigo. I don't want to live in a world without you!'_

'_Senna!'_

A girl, who looked just like the one staring at him with concern in her orange eyes, sacrificing herself for him. Taking the duty of sacrificing her power to save the world, even if it killed her. Going a step further than even _he_ had gone, with the Final Getsuga Tensho.

"Hey, Ichigo…"

'_Hey, Ichigo?'_

'_Yeah?'_

'_We'll meet again, right?'_

'_What are you talking about? Of course we will. I promise.'_

"...what's wrong? Are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance?" Senna's concerned voice rang out, as Ichigo turned haunted eyes up at her. She flinched back, confusion lining her features. "What's going on?"

Ichigo could only hand her the ribbon, his voice choking up a little when he spoke. "Here, Senna. I-I promised we'd meet again, you know. I think I've had this long enough."

Senna blinked, reaching her hand out to grasp the fabric. Her small hand brushed against his larger one, and she flinched back at the touch. She held the ribbon, staring at Ichigo. Who stared back, his eyes filled with a pain that he hadn't remembered feeling.

Because everything about this girl, had been forgotten. Her very _existence_ had been erased. If he hadn't caught that ribbon...if she hadn't been standing right here…

"I bought you that, you idiot." Ichigo's voice recovered, just a little, as he looked at her. "Don't you remember?"

Right now, he didn't care if she remembered or not. If _he_ remembered...if she knew that someone 'like him' bought the ribbon...then maybe she would too. Everything was still foggy for him. He didn't remember everything about her.

Yet…

He _knew_. He had promised that he would meet Senna again. He had been lying at the time, and now, it seemed to have come true. He knew one thing, and one thing only. He wasn't letting this chance slip by him again. He could no more do that, than ignore his mother standing in front of him.

He had failed to protect Senna before. And powerless or not, he would _not_ do that again.

_I-I want to remember her. I want her to remember me._

And was that really such a bad thing?

* * *

**Now, hold off on the pitchforks. I've got about half-a-chapter ready on the _Snow_ reboot and plan on updating _that_ either tomorrow or the day after. Work has proven to be especially draining, since I haven't had what I would call a 'slow' day since...well. Since I last updated that fic. I'm not giving up on it, but it's slow going. Especially since my fics on SV are my primary focus.**

**Even if I'm 99% sure that the only fic on here that I'll still update is that one...and, I suppose, this. Sorry _Soul Hunter_, but I just don't have the motivation or the time anymore.**

**Motivation. Heh.**

**It's funny. If you look at my story history, you'd think Ichi/Ruki is my favorite Bleach pairing. And, to some extent, you wouldn't be wrong. It's my preferred _popular_ one. But my actual favorite? The character I like the most and the pairing I ship the hardest? Ichi/Sen. 110%, Ichi/Sen. This story is me coming full-circle. My first story, since removed, was an Ichi/Sen fic. The _only_ thing stopping me from doing another one, in the decade since then, has been the knowledge that it was niche when the movie was _new_ and almost unheard of now, some 14 years later.**

**I kept myself from writing one, thinking that it wasn't worth it. That no one would read it. I still honestly expect that with this, and expect maybe five or six people to review. Why am I doing this then?**

**Because SV hosts a _Skies of Arcadia_ fic by me now. My absolute favorite franchise, and one that I never wrote anything for a similar reason. A feeling that no one would read it. I'm doing it now, entirely for myself. Not for the readers or views, but for _myself_.**

**You can say the same for this. I'm writing this for myself, because I love Senna's character and her interactions with Ichigo. Setting it after Aizen, when he has no powers, just let's me have more fun with the characters. I'm probably not going to include the Quincy stuff, but we'll see what actually does crop up.**

**Either way...you can expect this to continue. Because it's a very personal project for me.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"...what's wrong? Are you hurt? Should I call an ambulance?"

There were many things that Senna Yagiri had expected, when she walked up to the orange-haired boy. Him to be a creep was probably fairly high up on the list. Or a delinquent. What? She hadn't exactly had good experiences with boys! Admittedly, mostly her own fault, but still!

_He's nothing like that, though._

What she had _not_ expected was for him to be polite, if a bit cold. He answered her questions. And he _understood_. Not many people actually accepted her fondness of heights for what it was. Even her friends liked ribbing her over it, when she inevitably came to the ferris wheel or ate lunch on the roof. They liked laughing at 'Senna up high'. She hadn't ever, _ever_, met anyone who actually understood it.

Until now.

_And now he's acting like he saw a _ghost _or something. What._

Senna couldn't keep the concern out of her voice, either, when Ichigo turned haunted eyes on her. Ichigo. Why was that name familiar?

The boy just handed her the ribbon, his voice choking up a little when he spoke. "Here, Senna. I-I promised we'd meet again, you know. I think I've had this long enough."

Don't get her wrong, here. She _wanted_ that ribbon. Senna had lost it, years ago, and almost forgotten about it. She'd never gotten another one, either. It was _special_ to her. A very dear friend had given it to her, though she couldn't remember his name. She didn't remember much about him. Just that he was nicer than he looked, and he had spiky hair, and that he was taller than her and…

…

Well. That he was quite a bit like Ichigo, actually. Waaaaaiiiitttt. Ichigo wasn't _that_ guy, was he?

Senna blinked, and slowly reached her hand out to grasp the fabric. Her small hand brushed against his larger one, and she flinched back at the touch. She held the ribbon, staring at Ichigo. Who stared back, his eyes filled with a pain that had her heart clenching. Why?

"I bought you that, you idiot." Ichigo's voice recovered, just a little, as he looked at her. "Don't you remember?"

Remember. Senna stared _hard_ at Ichigo. At the strange look of _hope_ in his brown eyes. At the lanky boy at her feet. His _spiky_ orange hair. His slim figure. The way his hands wrapped around her own. Why? Why was everything about him the same as her old friend? He couldn't be the same person. What were the odds of _that_ happening?

And yet…

'_You didn't have to do that, you know.'_

'_Shut it, I hate stuff like that.'_

Senna fought back a little shudder, deep in her bones. What in the _world_ had that been? She...she didn't _know_ him, right? She'd never met Ichigo in her life! At least...she didn't think she ever had.

"...uhhh." Senna's response was quite eloquent, all things considered. She looked at Ichigo, and frowned. Her teeth worked on her pouty lip, and all the while, she tried to _remember. _"Are you sure it was me? I mean, maybe you bought it for your sisters?"

Ichigo snorted, though the haunted look remained. He climbed to his feet, and looked down on Senna. "How'd you know I have sisters, then?"

Senna blinked, and brought a finger up. She opened her mouth, had a witty reply ready...and slowly closed it. Her finger fell down, and she looked at her hand.

_How _do _I know that, anyway?_

She still couldn't really remember much. Yet, she somehow knew that Ichigo had two sisters. One like her, and one like him. Huh.

Spooky!

"I don't know," Senna finally answered. When she looked back up at Ichigo, her challenging grin was back in place. Her orange eyes sparkling with promised mischief. "Alright, if you _did_ buy that ribbon, I want you to prove it to me!"

Ichigo _stared_, "You know I don't have the receipt or anything, right?"

"Not like that!" Senna waved her hand dismissively, and spun away from Ichigo. She giggled lightly, when she looked around at the fair. People continued to pass them by, barely paying any mind to the pair of teenagers. Most of the men and women were dressed in yukatas, and many of them were busy on clear dates.

The only one really looking at them was the person running the ferris wheel, who kept sending knowing glances at Senna. Prompting a _little_ bit of a pout, and a crossing of her arms. Hmph! So what, she was a regular, sue her!

Turning back to Ichigo, Senna couldn't keep up the pout. Even his confused glance seemed strangely _familiar_.

"I mean, if you really bought it for me, you can tell me how it happened. Like," Senna flung her arms out, wildly gesturing around her. "Show me where it was, and stuff like that! Jog my memory!"

"I _just remembered myself_," Ichigo grumbled. He didn't protest much, though. He just pointed a thumb up at the shops surrounding the pair. "I bought it at one of those places. You were...were…"

As the orange-haired boy grimaced in pain, Senna stared at him and tried to think about it. What would she have been doing...here…

'_This is so nice…'_

'_Ta-da! Yeah!'_

"Hey, Ichigo." Senna looked over at the grumbling boy, frowning a bit. She wasn't going insane, right? "If I told you I fell off a string of lights and turned into a bunch of leaves, would you call me crazy?"

"..." Ichigo sighed, and shook his head. The _barest_ tinge of a smile tugged at his lips. "I've seen crazier, honestly."

"Yeah, that's what I-" Trailing off, Senna looked at Ichigo and gaped openly. "Wait, what?"

"I've seen worse." All she got was a shrug, and Ichigo planting his hands in his pockets. The teenager looked up at the ferris wheel, lost in thought. He worked his lip, looking down at Senna, before looking up at the wheel.

Senna watched him impatiently, tapping her foot a bit. "You going to explain or what? I mean, you can't just leave a girl hanging like that!"

"Senna."

Cutting herself off a raising complaint, Senna blinked. "Come again?"

"Want to ride the ferris wheel?" Ichigo turned to look fully at her, an extremely _serious_ look on his face. One that was too serious for the subject matter.

A look that had Senna looking past him, at the fair. Of all the things people were doing, from games to eating, he suggested the one thing _she_ wanted to do. Sure, she'd already told him she liked high places- and he _knew that_ already! -but...why? Why was that question making her heart ache? Senna raised a hand up to her chest, clenching it in the thin fabric of her school uniform. Never before had it felt more ill-fitting than now. Never before had she felt such a mix of pain and _hope_.

Some part of her really, really, _really_, wanted to ride the ferris wheel. Not on her own, not with her friends. With _Ichigo_.

Her expression must have shown on her face, because he _stared_ again. "Well? You up for it, or not?"

"I mean-" Senna thrust her hands in front of her, rapidly shaking her head. "I like the ferris wheel, and you're nice and kinda cool and you understand me but I-"

"Senna?" Ichigo asked, gently. More gently than his other questions.

Sucking in a shaky breath, forcing her nerves to calm down, Senna tried to plaster some remnant of her smile on her face. It didn't work. "I...I feel like we've been here before, okay?" Her voice was tiny and _melancholic_ and entirely unlike her. "Why? Why do I feel that way?"

Ichigo actually reached out, and grabbed her hand. Senna felt her face heat up at the contact. No boy ever really wanted to hold her hand…

"Look, Senna. I'm not exactly made out of money, but I-" it was Ichigo's turn to trail off awkwardly, scratching his head with his free hand. He plowed on anyway. "I didn't take you last time we met, and I think I regret that now. Do you want to, or not?"

Did she? _Did_ she?

Senna knew the answer, even before she clenched Ichigo's hand and shakily nodded her head. "Yeah, I'd like that."

_-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

Sitting beside Ichigo, inside the cramped cabin of the ferris wheel, Senna shifted in her seat a little. Her hands were firmly in her lap, and her face was flaming red. For all her cheerful bravado, she'd never been alone with a _boy_ like this. Not this close, without anyone else. It was embarrassing and weird! _Especially_ with Ichigo! Either she just met him not even an hour ago, or she had known him and completely forgotten him. Both options were making this more awkward than it should be!

_And why do I feel like I always wanted to do this? I-I-_

Senna _couldn't_ explain the feeling. Yet, for all her flusteredness, she was happy. Part of her seemed like it had _clicked_ into place.

"Damnit, this is wrong…" Beside her, Ichigo grumbled a little, studiously keeping a distance between them. A bit more than necessary. "Yo, Senna. Do you actually remember this?"

"I…" Senna thought about it, shrugged, and completely ignored the distance Ichigo had been making. She sidled over to him, fought the flush in her cheeks, and leaned on his shoulder. With a happy little sigh, Senna looked up at him with her orange eyes. "This is nice…"

"Hey, wait a minute! Why are you getting comfortable?!" Ichigo squawked, his own face turning a brighter shade of red than the ribbon sitting in his lap.

Senna shrugged, "No reason."

"Like hell there's _no reason_!"

For all Ichigo's protests, he didn't actually try to push her off. Senna knew he could if he wanted to. Ichigo was a lot stronger than he looked. After all, he kept hauling around that massive sword and that had to be _hell_ on his back. And his arms!

…..

'_Hey, let the girl go.'_

'_Who the hell are you?'_

Senna pushed up closer to Ichigo, squeezing her eyes shut. His protestations fell on deaf ears. She was shivering, the memories bombarding her now. The feeling of a massive hand clenched on her neck, squeezing down as she tried to fight back. Her terror at being so _helpless_. She couldn't fight back, she couldn't run, she couldn't even _breathe_.

"Senna!" Ichigo's voice rang in her ears, as he finally placed his hands on her shoulders. He pulled her away, staring down into her face. "What's gotten into you?"

"I-Ichigo?" Senna stared up at him, her lip quivering. "Who was that man? Why did you have a sword?"

The teenager flinched, but he didn't turn away. Ichigo just sighed, and looked down. "You remember that?"

"I remember _something_," Senna squeaked. Her voice was tiny and scared. "That wasn't a dream, was it? That really happened?"

Ichigo stared at her, before sighing and nodding. "I don't remember everything myself, but yeah, that happened. Everything is still a bit fuzzy, other than when you…"

"What did I do?" Some part of Senna didn't want to know the answer. She felt that, if she heard what he said, she'd never be able to take it back. Something would forever change.

As Ichigo turned away, and looked at the stars outside the cabin, the rest of her was desperate to know. To get back something that she had lost. No matter how she had known Ichigo before, no matter what their relationship had been, she knew that something was missing. He was _familiar_. In a way that no one else was. Not even her parents. Why? What was it about him that was so familiar?

_I need to know!_

With starlight shining in the dim cabin, gently swaying with the wind, Ichigo let his shoulders fall down. His face was silhouetted in the dim light. Sharp cheeks merged into a deep scowl. Eyes sunken back in his face. His entire _being_ screamed 'conflicted'.

"You died."

Those two words, spoken with no warning and no preamble, had Senna flinching back. "I...what?"

Ichigo looked into her eyes, _pain_ visible in his gaze. Long, deep, pain. "You died to save me. Damnit, Senna, why don't you remember?"

"I'm not dead! I'm right here!" Senna ignored that. She really, really tried to. Her hand came to rest on her heart. Hell, she grabbed Ichigo's hand and _put_ it on her chest, right over her rapidly beating heart. "See? I'm breathing, and I'm alive!"

"That's not what I meant," Ichigo may have been so red he practically glowed, yet, he didn't take back his words.

And Senna couldn't make him, because she _remembered_. She tried to deny it. She tried to ignore his words and go back to how things were. She knew that she would regret remembering this, deep down.

She couldn't take it back.

She couldn't get the images from her head. The glowing light surrounding her, and Ichigo. Ichigo. Floating across from her, battered and bloody, with that massive sword on his back. Wearing a black uniform that fit him better than anything else. A uniform that rested on her own body, as she crossed her hands over her chest.

'_If the world were destroyed, there would be no Ichigo.'_

'_Senna, you can't do this! You'll die!'_

'_I can't live in a world where you died instead of me, Ichigo!'_

Senna could _feel_ the pain, of her body tearing apart. She could feel the misery of dying. What would any teenage girl do, when faced with that feeling? When the person she had done it for, was sitting right beside her?

Senna threw herself into Ichigo, desperately wrapping her arms around his broad chest. She didn't notice that they fell into the floor. She didn't notice that his arms, hesitantly, wrapped around her. She didn't even notice how she was crying into his chest.

_I d-d-d-died. I died to save Ichigo. I couldn't live without him. I _can't _live in a world without him, so why did I forget him? Why? Why?_

_-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

For once in his very long life, Isshin Kurosaki found himself completely stumped. Shocked into silence. Unable to come up with some witty response or exaggerated joke. Not even able to poke or prod his son to get some sort of reaction.

In short, he was shocked silent.

_Well. That's not something I expected to see, today._

He couldn't even, mentally, come up with some plea to his departed wife. Because, right now, he was too busy staring at his son. More appropriately, at his son inside the ferris wheel. With a cute, purple haired, girl in his arms. Sobbing into his chest.

"Ichigo…?" Isshin didn't even try the goofy act, too confused and befuddled to bother. "Is there something you want to tell your father…?"

Ichigo, his own eyes suspiciously red, looked over the top of the girl's head. Isshin flinched back slightly, at the _lost_ expression on his son. "Hey, Dad? Do you think that Senna can come back with us?"

_Senna?_

"Uh...I don't see why not," Isshin blinked, staring _hard_ at his son. Ichigo never brought girls over, if they weren't Rukia. And honestly, he was an idiot if he thought his father never noticed _that_.

Anyway.

Shinigami living in Ichigo's closet aside, Isshin's son never bothered bringing a girl over. Certainly, Isshin would have remembered if he had. And he didn't remember any girl named Senna. So. Who was this girl and why did Ichigo hold onto her so tightly?

"Thanks, old man." Ichigo wasn't giving any answers, as he leaned down to whisper something in the girl's ear. She tightened her grip on him, as Ichigo picked her up and walked out of the ferris wheel. "I'm going to go ahead and take her home, then. Can you let Karin and Yuzu know?"

Isshin nodded dumbly, still too shocked to do much else. "Yeah. Ichigo...do you want to tell me anything? At all?"

Ichigo shrugged, "Not right now. I need to talk to Senna."

Without another word, the former Shinigami walked off, leaving his _very_ confused father behind. Isshin watched him go. He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a special phone that very rarely saw use.

This situation called for it.

"Hey, Kisuke." Isshin held the phone to his cheek, grumbling a little at the too-cheerful voice that answered. "It's about Ichigo. Uh huh. Yeah. You aren't going to believe this."

If anyone had any idea what was going on, it was Urahara...

* * *

**Still not horribly _long_, mind you. Though this is my typical length if it isn't _Destiny_. **

**That said, I'm not _always_ going to bounce between perspectives like this. I just wanted the first two chapters to be reflections of each other, to be honest. Also to give me a chance to dive into Senna's mindset, this time around. Hopefully that worked. I've got a good handle on Ichigo, Senna less so. Mostly because of how _long_ it's been since I actually wrote her.**

**Also, while not every chapter will be full of flashbacks (though the next one, and some others, will include _full_ flashbacks) there will continue to be these bits of 'memory flashes'. I don't want both of them to remember everything in one fell swoop. I chose to let them remember as much as they _have_ out of a desire to not tread ground other fics have covered. But they won't know everything right away.**

**At any rate...they'll remember in stages. Also get together in stages. This won't be any 'love at first sight' fic, even if they are obviously getting together eventually.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A part of Ichigo Kurosaki, a part buried deep, wondered when he had become so used to the feeling of _déjà vu_. Carrying Senna on his back was achingly familiar. Having her in his house even more so. When he had set the silent girl on his bed, he had been hit by a _flash_ of her, kicking her feet back and grinning at him. It was enough to defuse the annoyance he would have otherwise had, with a girl on his bed. Even Rukia annoyed him with that.

He couldn't find it in him to be annoyed at Senna. Even without the flashes of memory.

"Yo, Senna." Instead, he settled for sitting in his chair. Crossing his arms over the back, and staring at the silent girl. "You okay?"

Orange eyes were wet, as Senna sniffled and looked directly at Ichigo. She hadn't once stopped crying, even if it was silent, since he had left the mall. "I...I'm not. I'm really not."

"...yeah, kinda figured that."

Ichigo sighed deeply, and turned his gaze up towards the ceiling. Was it really possible to be 'okay' after learning you died? He'd died more than he cared to think about, so he wasn't _normal_.

_Not to mention Senna's a normal girl right now. Damnit._

Letting out a breath, the teenager drummed his fingers against his chair. What could he really do right now, for Senna? He needed to cheer her up or something. His fragmented memories were just that. Fragments. Pieces. Even with that, seeing Senna so quiet and _depressed_ was nothing like her. It was wrong, so very wrong.

"I almost wish I had the Hollow," Ichigo groused, running a hand through his hair. At least the Hollow was a useful punching bag.

Senna, for her part, twitched. "Hollow?"

"Very, _very_ long story." Ichigo replied. He really hoped that Senna remembered things later on, so he didn't have to explain everything to her. "Anyway, how much do you remember? All I'm getting is a lot of flashes."

Silent for a moment, Senna looked down at her hands. They clenched and unclenched in her skirt, nervous and uncomfortable. The girl sucked in a deep breath, held it, and let it loose in a heavy sigh. Her orange eyes looked anywhere but at Ichigo, and her legs twitched. She was waging an internal battle, and Ichigo, of all people, could tell that. He had experience with that. His just involved a lot more stabbing and screaming.

Man, when had fighting his Hollow and being stabbed by Zangetsu become _nostalgic_?

"I don't remember much," Senna finally replied, her voice tiny and quiet. Afraid. "A lot of random things. I remember _you_, I think. You kept chasing me everywhere like a creep."

Ichigo's eye twitched, "Watch it, you little twerp."

"What? It's true!" For the first time since they had reached the Kurosaki home, Senna actually smiled. It was a small one, a fragile thing, yet a smile nonetheless. One that was strained, when she continued. "I-I think I remember you fighting, too. Someone with grey hair. You had a big sword, and he kept hurting you."

From what Ichigo remembered, that guy in weird armor only fought him in his Bankai. Then again, who really knew? His memories were all jumbled up and scrambled, and Senna was probably the same way.

"Yeah...that's about how it went," the former Shinigami shrugged, spinning his chair around a little. If only so he could get up, and walk to sit next to Senna. "I don't remember much myself, but that guy was trying to kill you. And I won't let _anyone_ hurt my _friends_ like that."

Senna turned bright eyes up at Ichigo, a mix of confusion and fondness fighting behind her gaze. "We're friends?"

_Are we? I think so?_

Ichigo didn't let his own confusion show, settling for shrugging his shoulders again. "Yeah, I mean, probably. I know that I won't let anyone hurt you. I always protect my friends, and I think you're one of them. Or you were." A sour look crossed his face, the familiar scowl settling into place. "Damn, this is all so _confusing_."

"You're telling me!" The girl fell back on his bed, her purple hair splayed out all over his blanket like a cascade of waves. Her smile was a little bit stronger now. "This is all sooooooo confusing. I remember you chasing me like a creep, and you getting hurt trying to protect me. And..."

Her voice trailed off, and Ichigo knew exactly why. He wasn't the most _emotional_ kind of guy, not really. He cried when his mother died. He cried when he had lost to Grand Fisher. He rarely, if ever, showed emotion on anything else. At least, not the kind that most people would call 'mushy'.

His heart, his soul, ached when he thought about how Senna had died. Even with all of that.

"Yeah...that happened too." Ichigo knew that she understood what he was saying, as he turned his head to look down on her. Fresh tears were visible, and her lip was upturned a little. She was trying not to cry.

She was trying to be strong, even though she was just a normal girl being forced to remember her death.

"Damnit, why'd I do this to you..." Muttering that under his breath, the former Shinigami fell back himself. He stared at his ceiling, and tried to find the words he needed. Fuck it. "I can't really say what happened, Senna. I know you gave up all your powers and died because of that. I know that I couldn't protect you, even after all of that. And I know that I hated myself for that."

_'She's gone, Ichigo. And soon, our memories of her will fade. We can't remember someone who never existed.'_

_'I know. But right now? I can still hear her voice.'_

Shaking his head, Ichigo found Senna staring at him. Staring _hard_.

"You're just a big softy, aren't you?" Her voice tried to be happy and full of levity...but it really wasn't. She was still trying to make sense of everything.

Ichigo scowled, "No I'm not. I just hate not being able to protect someone!"

Senna giggled, weakly, and reached her hands up to play with her hair. "I mean, I totally get what you're saying. I think?" Her hands fell down, and the girl let out a frustrated noise. "It's all so confusing. I remember being a...a..."

"Shinigami." Ichigo helpfully supplied.

"That thingy!" Senna acted like she knew that all along, a hint of her normal cheer showing through. Just a hint. "I was a Shini-thingy, and I wanted to protect everyone too. It was our _job_. More than that, it was _right_. Y'know?"

Ichigo knew. He knew better than anyone, really. It was what made this entire situation _sting_ so much. He'd gotten Senna back, yes, even though what that meant was still foggy to him. It was basically impossible to know, until he got all his memories back. On top of all that, _neither_ of them had powers. Senna was never a real Shinigami to begin with, right?

_And I gave my powers up._

It had never hurt quite as much, as it did in that very moment. Maybe...maybe...

A sudden _trill_ interrupted Ichigo's thoughts. The teen jumped to his feet, half-expecting it to be his combat pass, even after all this time. No. It wasn't. His hands reached down, where he felt his pocket vibrating. Ichigo pulled his phone free, staring at the offending object as if it would bite him. He idly looked at the number...and immediately blanched.

"Urahara," Ichigo didn't bother with pleasantries. He just answered the phone, and started talking.

"_Hello Ichigo!" _The shopkeeper's cheerful voice was familiar, even if he hadn't heard it in _months_. "_I was hoping you'd pick up!"_

Massaging his brow, Ichigo groaned. "Get to the point, Urahara. Why are you calling me _now_? You haven't talked to me since Aizen."

_And I lost my powers._

The unspoken words got through the phone, clearly, as Urahara's voice sobered up. _"Ah. Yes. Well, I didn't want to burden you now that your powers are gone."_

Senna, from her spot on the bed, blinked. "Your powers...?"

_"And, unless I'm mistaken, that girl is the one your father told me about?" _Urahara continued speaking, a thoughtful tone coming over the phone. _"You see, Ichigo, I'm fairly certain that you and some random girl acting like that isn't normal. Your father wanted me to take a look, and I'm not against it. After all, you always are interesting!"_

Ichigo's first instinct was to deny Urahara, and just ignore him. The man was shady and while he _trusted_ Urahara, maybe even _liked_ him...the man never did anything without an ulterior motive. It just wasn't like him.

On the other hand...

"Fine, Urahara, I'll play your game." Ichigo looked over at Senna, out of the corner of his eye. This may be a chance to find out more about her. If anyone could unlock his memories, it was Urahara. "We'll be over there tomorrow."

_"Good. And, Ichigo?"_

"Yeah?"

_"For what it's worth, I'm sorry about your powers. If I knew a way to return them..."_

There was no need to respond to that. Ichigo knew that Urahara was aware of that, as well. The phone clicked off on the shopkeeper's end, and Ichigo turned back to Senna. She was looking at him curiously, clearly confused by the situation. At least she wasn't crying now. She probably wanted to know what that was all about. Actually. Had she ever met Urahara? His memories were still all fragmented, but, he didn't remember Urahara and Senna ever meeting.

Which just raised the obvious question. What did _Urahara_ know about all this?

Sighing again, Ichigo sat back down. That was a question for tomorrow. "Senna, I know you probably need to go home and everything..."

"Nah, not really. My parents aren't in town right now anyway." Senna cut him off, smiling shyly. It seemed to have only now dawned on her that she was in a _boy's_ room. "So, what was that about? And who's that 'Urahara' guy? He sounded like a creep."

"You could say that," Ichigo couldn't stop a snort. Urahara was certainly creepy, in more ways than one.

"I'm kinddddaaa sure you want me to go with you, don't you?"

With a scowl firmly fixed on his face, Ichigo nodded. "Yeah. Look, Senna...I'm not sure what's going on. I've never had memory flashes like this before."

If Ichigo expected Senna to answer those words, he would be disappointed. She spent more time staring at him, asking him to continue, than actually talking. Talking was something he wasn't good at, either. Not explaining a feeling like this. He talked much better with his fists or...with Zangetsu. Having to talk like this was uncomfortable, at the best of times.

"Urahara is shady as hell, but he's also the smartest guy I know." Ichigo bit back a frustrated noise, rubbing at his brow. This wasn't how he expected to spend his weekend, to say the least. "If anyone can figure out what's happening to us, he'll be able to do it. I can't ask you to go with me, though."

Senna shook her head, a smile once more on her face. "Hey, I came here didn't I? I want to know more about _you_ Ichigo. I feel like...like I'm missing something. Something very important."

_More important than dying to save me?_

Ichigo left those words unspoken. He didn't need to say them. Senna had made her choice, and he was honestly happy about it. Whoever Senna had been to him, before all of this, she was _still_ important now. He knew that much. Even if he didn't have powers, even if Urahara couldn't come up with a way to give them back, he was going to at least go see the man.

If nothing else, Ichigo wanted his _memories_ back.

* * *

**Haaaaaahhhh...**

**Not really satisfied with this one, but I want to keep the story going. So sometimes, I guess there'll be chapters I'm not entirely satisfied with. I hope everyone enjoys it anyway.**

**Also, I decided against the flashback. I think that fits better once Urahara does his thing.**

**Shouldn't take as long for the next one. I've changed my time at work to get off earlier, so I won't be _as_ worn out. And, if all goes well, I'll hopefully have a proper teaching position soon anyway. I hope.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Kisuke Urahara was many things, to many people. A mentor. A mad scientist. Former Captain and former head of Research and Development. Many would call him a creep or a certifiable madman, and they wouldn't necessarily be _wrong_. Of course, all of that was just what Urahara _let_ people see. While none of it was wrong, it was equally true that none of it was even close to the full story. The only people who truly knew _him_, and not his many masks, were Yoruichi and Benihime. He was fine with that. It let him keep people on their toes.

Hey, a man had to get his entertainment _somehow_!

_Right now, though, I think Ichigo is the one keeping me on _my_ toes. Didn't think I'd see this again, so soon._

Standing at the entrance to his shop, Urahara carefully kept his eyes hidden beneath the rim of his bucket hat. He could see, with sight and senses, Ichigo approaching. The boy was still powerless, of course. The girl next to him? Not so much. Urahara could feel power, just beneath the surface. She had no idea how to access it. It was entirely possible she didn't know it existed. Yet...it was still there. _Hmmm_.

"Welcome back to my humble shop, Ichigo!" Laying the charm on thick, Urahara used the grin on his face to distract from the glint in his grey eyes. "I see you brought your new friend, too!"

Ichigo scowled, which was itself an improvement over how he _had_ been. "Enough with the act, Urahara. You'll scare her off."

"Ichigo! I would never do something like that to one of your _friends_!" Urahara would, however, put emphasis on 'friend'. Every time he stressed that word, the girl twitched. Fascinating. "Come on, let's get inside. Tessai has already started brewing the tea, and I would hate to make him wait."

"Yeah yeah...come on, Senna. Let's get this over with." Ichigo grumbled under his breath, grabbing the girl's arm. Or did she grab his first?

The girl, Senna, was wide-eyed when she walked into the store. "This is just a candy shop, though? I expected...something..."

Urahara chuckled, guiding the pair towards the table in the back. The last time he'd used this table involving _her_ was...well. A long time ago. "Did you think I put all the _good_ stuff out front?"

"I mean...yeah!" Senna flung her hands out, gesticulating wildly with each gesture. "Ichigo told me you're a mad scientist. I kinda expected a lot of big glowing things, or maybe some bodies or-"

It was Urahara's turn to twitch. She was describing _Kurotsuchi. _He, the moral man he was, would never have something like _that_ where the public could see it! No, of course not. He'd put the really awkward things in his personal lab, where no one could find them!

Ahem.

"I'm wounded, Ichigo," Urahara turned to look at the teenager, as he sat down gracefully at the table. He placed his palms on it, smirking up at his protege. "What lies have you been telling this poor, innocent girl?"

"Nothing was a lie, and you know it." For his part, Ichigo flopped down, crossing his legs and glaring at the shopkeeper.

Senna looked between the two, cocking her head to the side. Purple hair fell in front of orange eyes, as she sat down next to Ichigo. Her arm resting against his side.

"I'm missing something, aren't I?"

Missing many things, if Urahara was being completely honest. Senna clearly didn't truly remember Ichigo, or she would have expected something like this. After all, it was _highly_ doubtful that Ichigo had never complained about _him_ to her. They had an...interesting...relationship. Urahara considered Ichigo to be his greatest student- admittedly, he didn't have many students -and, honestly, a friend. He enjoyed bugging the former Substitute, but generally speaking, that was just his personality. He ribbed everyone, from Ichigo to Tessai and back again. It was a game for him.

He knew it was a game for Ichigo, too. For all that the teen was grumbling in annoyance right now, he was still enjoying _talking_ to someone. Urahara could see it. In the little ways that Ichigo's body slumped. How he leaned ever so _slightly_ towards Senna, instead of pushing her away. How the corners of his eyes softened. Ichigo's entire body, a tightly coiled spring, was relaxing. Even the corners of his lips twitched, every time he talked.

_Hm. In hindsight, isolating him may not have been the prudent decision. _Urahara winced, internally. It had been his idea, in large part, to leave Ichigo be. Let him live a normal life. _Of course, I should have anticipated that. Ichigo has never, not once, been a 'normal' human. Cutting him off from the spiritual world was...perhaps, a bit cruel. Noted._

"Don't worry, this is just how we act with each other. Ichigo is a good friend." Urahara turned his gaze onto Senna, looking at her from under the rim of his hat. "Now, you, on the other hand...how much do you remember?"

Blunt, perhaps, but bluntness would be the simplest way to get an answer out of the girl right now. She flinched back, orange eyes snapping over to Ichigo. She was looking for him to answer. Scared. Well, that wasn't very surprising.

"It's fine, I'm not going to hurt you or anything. I just need to know, so that what _I_ say makes sense."

Senna's eyes snapped back to him, narrowing slightly. "Do you know more than we do? About Shini-thingys and why I'm...me?"

"More than you know, yes. I can't confirm unless you tell me what you know." Here, Urahara looked back at Ichigo. "That goes for you, too, Ichigo. I just want Senna to answer first."

The girl blinked in clear confusion, looking between Urahara and Ichigo. The teenager beside her just sighed, and shook his head. He couldn't help her. And so, Senna focused on the shopkeeper instead. She sucked in a deep, steadying breath. Her purple locks fell in front of her eyes, as she looked down at the table. She was rallying her thoughts. Lucky for her, then, that Urahara was a very patient man. He could wait.

He didn't have to wait long.

"I-I don't really remember all that much." Senna's voice shook, a little, when she spoke. Her eyes remained downcast. "Flashes, mostly. I remember Ichigo fighting some scary guys in weird armor. He was using a big sword and was dressed like a ninja." Senna laughed, weakly, at those words. "I think he looked kinda funny, actually."

"Funny?!" Ichigo groused, bringing a hand up to rub at his brow. "You think Zangetsu was _funny_?"

There was more meaning to that than Ichigo let on, and if Urahara let him explain that, they'd drift off topic. Also, he still felt guilty. So!

"Continue, please." The shopkeeper leaned forward, staring directly at Senna's hidden eyes. "Do you remember any details about the armor? About why they wanted you?"

Senna shook her head, "Not really? I mean, the armor was green. I remember that! But...not really why they wanted me. I _think_ it had something to do with my powers?" Holding her hands up, Senna looked down at them. "There was something special about me, I think? I'm not that special, though. I'm just a normal girl."

Urahara chuckled, little mirth in his actions. "I assure you, a _normal girl_ wouldn't be in my shop right now."

"Well, duh. A normal girl wouldn't want to be around a creep."

_Right, probably deserved that one._

Not letting his amusement show, Urahara stood up and walked around the table. He stopped at a cabinet, where old materials from previous meetings were stored. One of the little known things about the Shinenju was that, unlike other memory modifying objects, it didn't remove _physical_ objects. Anything written down about it would remain. It was how the Shinigami even knew the thing existed, in the first place. Couldn't name something if you forgot it ever existed every time it vanished, could you?

Because of that fact, Urahara still had the materials he had gathered, two short years ago. He just hadn't anticipated _needing_ them. Then again...Ichigo. He had a habit of throwing things out of order, and powers or not, he kept that up even now.

"As amusing as that was, it wasn't what I meant." Urahara stepped back, pulling a stack of paper with him. Tessai, silent in the corner as usual, had also set up a board with drawings upon it. Good man. "You see, I know why you and Ichigo have lost your memories. I know what you _once_ were, though I doubt you still _are_. You, Senna, are quite the anomaly."

Senna finally looked up, her eyes a little wet at the corner. "Anomaly? Is that all I am?"

Now, Urahara could have answered that. He would have told her that wasn't the case. That she was a perfectly healthy human girl. He _could_ have.

Ichigo did it for him.

"Like hell that's all you are," Ichigo slammed a hand down on the table, growling a little. His tired gaze snapping onto Urahara, as an arm reflexively pulled Senna towards him. "You're a _person_, Senna. You're real."

"Ichigo..." Senna stared at him, her lip quavering a little. Her eyes wide. "I-I remember. You said that before!"

For his part, the teenager blinked a little. "Did I?"

"You did," Urahara coughed lightly, bringing the room back to him. "Though I'm lead to believe it was to several Captains, when they tried to take the Shinenju back to the Soul Society."

One word. One word, was all that Urahara put in there. Shinenju. Memory Rosary. It was something that, if he was correct, would trigger more memories. He wasn't expecting it to trigger everything, even as he leaned back and sipped at his tea. He watched the two teenagers, both of them going pale. They may not remember everything, but they would remember the important part. That Senna had once been something very, very important.

_Will this trigger her powers? Hm. I don't believe so, though it is a possibility that I can hardly discount. If it doesn't, or even if it does, this may be a path towards restoring Ichigo's own powers._

Urahara was selfish, he knew that. He wanted to give Ichigo his powers back, his memories back, not to help him. No. He wanted to do that to salve his _own_ regrets, still smarting over not finishing Aizen himself. Senna was a convenient conduit, in this regard, though he had no intention of _using_ the girl. She was her own person.

"Shinenju. I remember that." Senna frowned deeply, biting her lip. Her wide eyes looked up at Ichigo, begging for an answer. "That was me, wasn't it? The scary people wanted me to do something for them, because of my power. I remember!"

Ichigo nodded, his own eyes narrowed into flints. "And I kicked the hell out of them for trying. The assholes thought they could take you away, and I wouldn't do anything about it."

"But you came for me, like you promised. You rescued me." Senna continued, smiling now. "Ichigo, you big dummy. You got hurt."

"Senna, I've been literally cut in half before. That wasn't anything."

As Senna blanched at that description, Urahara leaned back once more. He hummed in thought. This could be an interesting experience, for everyone involved. He _was_ getting bored lately...

"I'm afraid that the power of the Shinenju is truly gone." He spoke up, sighing softly. "To be completely honest, I'm not sure _how_ Senna is here, with those memories. They should have faded away."

Both teens flinched, at those words. Senna looked down at her lap, crying a little. "I-I did die. I remember that. Ichigo was going to die if I didn't and I-I couldn't-"

"No matter what happened in the past, you're here now." Urahara cut her off, raising up a hand. Hooking his thumb over his back, towards his training room. "I'll figure out the _how_ eventually. What matters now, is that Senna still has _some_ sort of power left. I'd like to train her, see if we can work with that."

Smiling, letting just the hint of grey peak out under his hat, Urahara shrugged. He didn't want to get Ichigo's hopes up, but...

"Maybe, just maybe, I can even find a way to bring back Ichigo's powers too."

It was, _at the very least_, worth a shot.

* * *

**Got people over today, so I'm not ****_entirely_**** satisfied with this. On the other hand, I wanted to get this done while I still have spare time. So here we go. I need to get back into the swing of the characters...**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Senna Yagiri had, in all honesty, never been so _lost_ in her entire life. She was handling it better than most, really! She hadn't tried to run and hide in her room, or ignore the world around her. Nor had she tried to leave Ichigo. Well. Leave Ichigo until _now_. Her parents may have been out of town, but she still needed to go home eventually. To get clean clothes, if nothing else. That it also let her get some time _alone_? Well, that was just a little bonus. Everything was...everything was a bit hard to take in. No matter how well she may have been handling it.

_I...I'm still _me_, right?_

Half of Senna expected another voice in her head. One that would say 'are you, really?' or something silly like that. Nothing happened, of course, just like the other times she'd asked that question. Would she feel better if something _had_ happened?

"Oh my gooooodddd," Senna fell flat onto her bed, wildly kicking her legs in the air. Frustration and worry all bubbling forth in a torrent of nervous energy. "I wish everything was back to normal!"

Well. Not really, honestly. Don't get her wrong, here! Senna didn't really want to remember her d-d-d-

That. She didn't want to remember _that_. If she could forget it ever happened, that'd be fine with her. Even with that, though, she never wanted to forget Ichigo again. The teenager wasn't exactly certain how she felt about the older boy, yet. Her feelings were a conflicting mess of things she didn't want to think about. His scowl made her smile and want to poke his cheek. His protectiveness exasperated her, even as it made her feel all tingly in weird places. The way he had made her _remember_ made her hate and lo-like!

Hate and like him, in equal measure.

"Should I call Mom?" Sighing deeply, Senna rolled over a little, and stared at the phone on her desk. A bright blue screen, a picture of her and one of her friends, stared back at her.

Was that really _her_ in the picture? Was she Senna _Yagiri_, or was she that Shin-whatever-thing? The creepy guy in the hat said that nothing was left of that power, right? So why could she remember things? It was all so confusing.

_I'm going to go crazy. I'm already crazy!_ Biting her lip, Senna reached out for her phone, and dialed the first number in her contacts. She brought the little square up to her ear, and a torrent of words left her lips. "Hey, mom! I need to ask you something and I'm not sure you'll like it but it's really important and-"

_"Slow down, baby, I can't understand you." _Her mother's sooth voice, ever so gently, chided her. Senna could see the fond smile on her face, crinkling her vivid blue eyes. _"Did something happen with your friends? I know you wanted to go that carnival and meet a cute boy!"_

As any teenage girl would, Senna flushed bright pink. If only her mother knew!

"W-well, about thattttt..." Senna looked over at her wall, as if her mother could see the flustered look on her face.

_"...did you meet a cute boy?"_

With her blush stubbornly refusing to fade, Senna thought about how to reply to that. "I, well, uh..." Scowling like Ichigo, the teenager forced her nerves down. She had to do this! "I did, kinda. But this wasn't the first time we've met. I think?"

Her mother hummed on the other end of the line. Her voice was filled with curiosity, when she responded. _"I heard the question mark there, Senna. Are you sure you've met this boy before? What's his name?"_

"Ichigo Kurosaki."

Even as she said that, part of Senna knew her mother wouldn't recognize the name. She turned her eyes to the ceiling. Was Ichigo out there, right now? Hunting those Hollow thingys? Was he looking down on her, thinking about her? Why did that feel so...

Oh.

_He lost his powers. Just like I did?_

_"Can't say I've heard the name before. Isn't that the clinic down by Karakura High?" _Her mother didn't give her much time to think, really. _"What's he look like? Is he cute or is he handsome?"_

Senna could _hear_ the laugh in her mother's voice, as she sputtered into her phone. Way to bring her mind back to earth, Mom! "I don't know that! I mean, he's kinda a bit mean looking but he's really nice once you get past that. It's...nice." The teenager didn't quite realize what she sounded like, when she sighed contentedly. "It's like I've known him, for a long time."

Her mother didn't reply, at first. Senna didn't notice, lost in her own memories. The way Ichigo had carried that soul around was so _cute_! She'd teased him so much about that, laughing at the way his face turned pink. He'd grumbled and complained, but Senna knew he loved it just as much as she did. He was so kind and gentle, once you got past his scowl and everything. She never did find out, why he scowled so much. It never made much sense, not when he was so-

Wait.

_That wasn't me. Was it?_

Holding a hand to her head, Senna sucked in a deep breath. She never was going to get all of that straight, was she? At least her Mom was there, to talk to. Whenever she got around to actu-

_"You like him, don't you, baby?" _Her mother's voice was entirely serious. The teen could feel the seriousness, even over the phone. _"He's not a classmate, is he? You always said the boys at school didn't like you. Which is silly, you're the cutest girl I've ever..."_

_There_ it was.

"Mom!" Senna was scandalized, snapping up in her bed and trying to calm her beating heart. "Don't tease me like that!"

Melodious laughter echoed over the phone line. _"Sorry, sorry. I love my baby girl, you know that."_ As her laughter trailed off, the older woman sounded more contemplative. _"You know, I don't think you've ever called me about a boy before. He must be pretty special, right?"_

Her mother dragged that word out like a song, and Senna held her face in her hands. Ichigo _was_ special, but probably for reasons her mother didn't- couldn't -know about. Right?

"Hey, Mom?" Senna, muffled as her voice was by her hand, asked the question that she _needed_ to know an answer for. "I...I've always been _me_, right?"

_"Hm?"_ Her mother sounded confused by the question. _"What do you mean, Senna? You've always been my baby girl, since the moment I first held you in the hospital. Did something else happen?"_

Senna turned her eyes up, silently wishing that she could lie. She couldn't. "I-I'm remembering things. Things that can't have happened, but they _did_. I'm scared, Mom. I'm really, really scared..."

_"Oh, Senna..."_ Doing her best to sooth her daughter, the older woman continued speaking. _"Do you want me to come home now? Your father can do his trip on his own, you know."_

"No!"

Of course, Senna was quick to protest that. She didn't need her mother to pull herself off that trip. And she...she wasn't certain that having her mother around would really help, right now. As scared- terrified, really -as Senna was...she needed this. She needed to know what her past was like. Talking to her mother like this? It helped. It, at least, told her that her mother was there for her. That her mother was _her mother_.

_'You have no parents. All of your memories are not your own.'_

Shuddering at the sudden flash of memory, Senna shook her head. No. No! Her mother was right here, and she always would be. This wasn't like before!

"I think I'm okay, Mom." Senna continued, forcing her heart to slow down. She _needed_ this. "I'm terrified, but I need to do this. Is...is it alright if we keep talking, though?"

Her mother was silent, until a sigh echoed over the phone. _"I'm going to need to talk to this boy, you know. He hurt my little girl, and I won't stand for that."_

It was really the best that she was going to get, wasn't it? Senna smiled at her mother's words, reflecting that, at least she could see the fireworks. When her mother met Isshin Kurosaki, the clash would be the stuff of _legends_. She almost wished the circumstances were better. Because, in all honesty, Senna wanted to see what happened. It was certainly going to be funny!

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

Later that night, with her phone back on her desk, Senna lay back on her bed. Her violet hair pooled around her face, laying atop her pillow. With her nightclothes rustling with every breath she took, the teenager sighed deeply and burrowed further into her bedding. She felt a little bit better, now. Talking to her mother had helped. Even if she was fairly certain that her mother was going to slap Ichigo. Then hug him and threaten his life if he did anything to hurt her. You know, the usual things that mothers did!

Smiling at the memory, Senna felt herself start to drift off to sleep. She imagined Ichigo's reaction, and it almost made her giggle. He wouldn't- couldn't -hurt her. Even now, with her sleepy mind mixing up memories, she knew that much.

_I don't know what I feel, anymore. But...Ichigo would never..._

Without another thought, Senna softly snored. The teenager slept soundly, dead to the world and escaping her raging memories. If only for a night.

* * *

**Apologies for the delay, and how short this is. Between work and hammering my muse, this was...difficult. I don't expect it to take as long, with my much less stressful new job. Nor do I expect the next chapter to be this relatively short. I wanted to focus on _just_ Senna, in this one. Adding more to fluff out the word count would have...defeated that purpose. IMO, at least. .**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

_Something happened to Kurosaki. I haven't seen him like this...since he lost his power. I wonder..._

Uryu Ishida was more attentive towards his friends than some realized. His cold attitude and brushing problems off tended to give that impression. Even his friends thought that he generally didn't involve himself in their problems, and focused on killing Hollows to the detriment of his relationships. They wouldn't necessarily be _wrong_. At the same time, however, he did bother keeping an eye on them to make sure nothing was wrong. Inoue was too ditzy to be any real help half the time, and Sado was hardly someone you went to for help that didn't involve punching something. It, therefore, fell to Uryu to keep an eye on his friends. And _especially_ to keep an eye on Kurosaki, as the other two felt awkward even talking to him since he lost his powers.

Luckily, Uryu had never once felt awkward about speaking his mind to Kurosaki.

"Kurosaki. Did something happen over the weekend?" As such, Uryu sidled up next to the orange-haired teen during their entrance to school. His eyes flashing behind his glasses kept the usual annoyances away, letting him talk to Kurosaki alone.

A good thing too, as the powerless teen scowled at him. "That's none of your business, Uryu."

"So something _did_ happen." The Quincy couldn't resist the little smirk that crossed his lips, nor how it grew at the groan from his rival and friend. "You're _terrible_ at keeping secrets, Kurosaki. And at hiding what you're feeling. You are...different, somehow. Lighter. I haven't seen you like this since before Aizen."

Where Inoue or Sado would avoid bringing things up to spare Kurosaki's feelings- or, at best, dance around the issue -Uryu was blunt and to the point. He _could_ have tried the long game, but this didn't feel like the right situation for that. Not when there was such a drastic change in Kurosaki's personality.

"Not that it's any of your business in the first place," Kurosaki grumbled, but fell in-step with Uryu. His hands crossed behind his head and the typical scowl welded onto his face. "But I've found something I lost a long time ago. I talked with Urahara about it, and he's going to be helping me out after school for a while. Besides, why are you asking? Aren't you too busy hunting Hollows these days?"

Not many people could have noticed the _bitterness_ in the way Kurosaki said that. Uryu, for his part, barely even winced. "Just so you know, I only _exterminate_ Hollows when Urahara asks me to. I don't go out of my way to hunt them down. What's the point? Soul Society already has someone here for that."

"He's useless." Kurosaki spoke, not a hint of regret or humor in his tone. Even so, the slight uptick to his lips wasn't hard to miss.

_Ah. Whatever you found _did_ change you, Kurosaki. I haven't seen you like this in a long, long time._

"True as that may be," Uryu pushed his glasses up to hide his own amusement. And to disguise his thoughts. "It is not my job, nor my duty, to hunt every Hollow in the city. It wasn't yours either. With Aizen gone, its time that Soul Society does its _job_. We shouldn't have to cover for them anymore."

What was left unsaid, though he knew that Kurosaki would pick up on it, was that _Kurosaki_ didn't need to cover for them. For a year, he'd done nothing but cover for Soul Society's mistakes. It was time they helped _him_, instead of the other way around. That Uryu still didn't completely like or trust the Shinigami was unrelated. Completely.

For his part, Kurosaki just blew out a sigh and began walking towards class. Most of the other students just walked around the two, whispering and staring when they thought the Quincy wasn't paying attention. Uryu rolled his eyes. Honestly, he would never understand his classmates. Whatever the case, Kurosaki was more important at this moment. The orange-haired teen stopped at the entrance to their classroom and turned around to look at Uryu.

"Look, I get what you're trying to do, Uryu." Kurosaki reached a hand up and scratched at the back of his head. "I appreciate it, but I can handle myself. _You_ should know that better than anyone. Let me handle things, alright?" Brown eyes narrowed to slits, the other teenager leaning in a bit closer to the Quincy. "And for the love of god, don't tell Inoue or Chad about this. I'll tell you all about what's going on when I'm ready, you hear me?"

Uryu sighed softly, "I hear you. You know, Kurosaki, I understand what _it_ feels like. Trust me on that, if nothing else."

"...yeah. I know."

With that, the pair split up. Uryu watched Kurosaki head to his seat, waving off questions from Inoue and a questioning _look_ from Sado. The Quincy already felt their eyes shifting to him, and let out another imperceptible sigh. _Great, they're going to want to bug me for answers now. I'm sorry, but I won't have any answers for you. I only have more questions._

He hadn't been lying, either. Uryu understood what Kurosaki was going through more than anyone else could hope to do. After all, had he not lost his _own_ powers to rescue Kuchiki? Had he not spent weeks listlessly wandering Karakura, watching Kurosaki and the others fight the Hollows and train to fight Aizen? He saw the same listless gaze in Kurosaki. The same winces when the others made an excuse to run out and kill a Hollow. His rival and friend could hide it from many people, but not from him.

"What am I going to do with you, Kurosaki. You refuse to accept any help..." Uryu shook his head. Far be it from _him_ to say that, when he had never wanted any pity or help from his friends either. "I'm going to need to figure out what happened. You can't keep a secret from _me_."

And so, Uryu resolved to figure out what had changed Kurosaki. From a wreck of a man who badly hid his grief, to someone who was acting more and more like his old self despite not having a _trace_ of his old power. For Kurosaki's sake, if nothing else.

_...and maybe because I'm a little curious myself._

_-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-_

"Yeah, sorry, I'm not going to be able to come in to work for a little bit..."

From far enough behind to not be seen, Uryu listened to Kurosaki. The orange-haired teen had gone in the complete _wrong_ direction to head home, or anywhere else that he could normally go. Uryu knew that Urahara's shop was in a different direction. That Kurosaki's own home was on the other side of town. The only thing he could think of, in the direction they were going, was the river and the other side of Karakura. Hmm.

"...look, I'm sorry! But I have things that came up and they can't-what do you mean they can wait?! You don't even know what I'm talking about!" Kurosaki, for his part, was busy yelling into his phone. "Look, I'll be back as soon as I figure things out. You know that I'm good for that!"

Uryu felt a drop of sweat roll down his scalp, while Kurosaki shut off his phone and stuffed it into his pocket. The other teen grumbled under his breath, and picked up his pace along the road. Quick to follow, Uryu decided to take to the roofs. Kurosaki was liable to notice him if the stayed down towards the ground. The teen was powerless, not stupid, and a year's worth of combat instincts didn't go away that fast.

_This also allows me a better view of any Hollows. Kurosaki may be powerless, but he's not unknown. I wouldn't be surprised if a Hollow recognizes him from Hueco Mundo._

From the rooftops, of course, Uryu couldn't hear what Kurosaki was muttering. He could only follow along as the orange head of hair ducked through crowds towards the bridge. _Why_ was Kurosaki going in that direction, anyway? He didn't feel anything particularly special in that direction-

"What in the world is _that_...?" Uryu narrowed his eyes, and took the risk of flashing ahead of Kurosaki. He felt... "That feels like a Shinigami, but I don't recognize it. Did they assign someone new?"

Not that Uryu would complain about getting someone _competent_ to deal with Hollows, but he didn't like the idea of a new Shinigami showing up without any warning. So he quickly reached the source of power, and took a glance over the rooftop to see what he was feeling.

_...who is that? And why does she look familiar?_

Only to see nothing but a girl in a green school uniform, kicking her feet around aimlessly as she sat at a cafe. Her orange eyes were nearly the same shade as Kurosaki's hair, and her own hair was a similar purple to Shihōin, if a bit lighter. She was a little younger than either himself or Kurosaki...or at least she _looked_ younger. She felt like a Shinigami, though, so looks could be deceiving. The strangest thing about her, other than the strange familiarity, was the fact the girl didn't feel like any other Shinigami he'd ever seen. Uryu knew what they felt like and this girl felt _muted_, somehow. As if her powers were hidden or not being used. It was a weird sensation.

"Where are yooooouuuu," the girl's voice carried up to Uryu's perch, as she continued to kick her feet. She certainly _acted_ her apparent age. "Ichigo you meanie, you were supposed to meet me here after school. You better not have lied to me, mister!"

"...since when does Kurosaki go out of his way to meet a _girl_?" Uryu felt another line of sweat roll down his cheek. Inoue's infatuation with Kurosaki was blindingly obvious to anyone _not_ the former Substitute. Yet, Kurosaki seemed completely intent to ignore any and all female attention. "Wait, why am I concerning myself with Kurosaki's love life?" Slapping his cheeks to bring himself back to Earth, Uryu found a suitable overwatch position and settled down to wait for Kurosaki to arrive. "I'm more concerned with why he would meet with a Shinigami that isn't Kuchiki. Surely he doesn't know that she keeps coming back."

It was a badly kept secret that Kuchiki kept coming back to keep an eye on Kurosaki. Yet, she'd never made the effort to _talk_ to her friend. So who was...

"Senna!"

_Senna?_

Uryu poked his head back out, spotting Kurosaki..._waving_ at the girl. The girl who promptly jumped to her feet and sprinted over to his friend. Uryu could only watch with widening eyes, as the girl launched herself at Kurosaki and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. A hug that Kurosaki _returned_, instead of immediately pushing her away and sputtering like he would with any other girl. If the Quincy had been confused before, his confusion was only rising now. _Who was this girl?_

"I knew you'd come see me, Ichigo!" The newly named Senna was chattering excitedly, not once letting go of her bear hug. Her purple-haired head buried against Kurosaki's shoulder. "You wouldn't leave me alone after everything that happened! Right?"

"Of course not." Kurosaki _smiled_. His voice was softer and gentler than Uryu could ever remember hearing it. "I promised that I'd protect you. That includes from whatever Urahara wants to test you with. Besides, I dragged you into all of this. If I can't own up to my own problems, what kind of man am I?"

Senna just laughed at those words. "You didn't drag me into this, silly! You just made me remember someone I missed for _years_. I already told you, you're the one friend I always wanted to talk to again. You even got me my ribbon back!"

It was then that Uryu noticed that 'Senna' had her hair tied back with a faded red ribbon that practically glowed with spiritual energy. Kurosaki's and the strange sensation of Senna's. That was not an ordinary ribbon, any more than this was an ordinary girl. If he didn't know better, he'd almost wonder if it were a _spirit_ ribbon. It would be the right color.

_No...if it were that, no one else could see it. Why does it feel like Kurosaki's energy is all over it, though? He doesn't have any power left._

Uryu didn't have an answer to that question, as Senna finally let Kurosaki go. The girl had a brilliant blush on her face, along with a smile bright enough to blind someone. "Say, Ichigo, do you think we could get something to eat before we go to the creep's place?"

"Urahara's shady as hell, but I wouldn't call him a _creep_." Kurosaki still had that smile on his face, something that his Quincy friend could not remember _ever_ seeing before. "And...no. Hell no. I'm not made out of money, especially since I'm taking off work for this."

"He's totally a creep. Did you see the way he was looking at me?" Senna pouted at the taller teenager. She placed her hands on her hips and sent Kurosaki a pitying look. "Also! If you're going to take a girl on a date, isn't it just good manners to get her something to eat? I thought you got me something the...the last time..."

Whatever protest Kurosaki may have had, it vanished the moment that Senna's pout was replaced with a sad smile. Kurosaki gently grabbed her hand and squeezed it. "Senna. Don't think about that, alright? We'll let Urahara sort all of that out. Least he can do, after everything that he put me through."

"R-right." Senna shyly smiled at Kurosaki, and didn't let go of his hand. If anything, she just used it to pull Kurosaki against her side. And _again_ the taller teen didn't protest.

"I'm dreaming. I must be dreaming." Uryu pulled back from the ledge, and brought a hand up to his glasses. He took them off and rubbed at his brow, wondering just _what_ he was witnessing. "Kurosaki hates physical contact. He hates it even more when girls do it. Why is he acting like this with a girl I've never even seen before? Who feels like a Shinigami?" Even with his eyes covered by his hand, Uryu could sense Senna's energy moving off in the direction of Urahara's place. Kurosaki was likely with her. "I'm going to have to talk to Urahara when they leave. This isn't normal."

Decision made, Uryu decided he would shadow the pair until they got close to Urahara's shop, if only to protect Kurosaki from Hollows. At that point, he'd head home and do his business for the night. The moment he was sure they left the shop, though, he was going to get some _answers_ out of Urahara. This entire situation was wrong and didn't make sense. And, despite everything, Uryu wanted to protect his friends and make sure they were safe.

Even Kurosaki, the idiot of a former Shinigami.

* * *

**AN: Much as with Snow, I'm going to give up on predicting my muse. Other than a general 'it works in cycles and strange ways' sort of prediction. Either way, I decided to swap perspectives this time. From an outside perspective, how _would_ Ichigo and Senna look, really? They're not suddenly lovey-dovey, but it may _look_ that way. Especially with Ichigo's general...reaction...to female attention.**

**To him, he's just being protective of her and worried. To someone looking in on the outside? Heh.**

**(as for using Uryu, it always struck me as _strange_ that he didn't talk with Ichigo about the whole 'no powers' thing. Uryu has actual, legit, experience with that. He lost his powers at one point, after all.)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

"Hey, Ichigo?"

Senna looked over at her friend, smiling at the way he immediately turned to look at her. Her hand remained locked with his own, and her arm remained pressed against his side. And he hadn't made even the slightest move to push her away. She knew her face was bright red, considering that they looked like nothing more than a teenage couple out on a date. As much as she had joked about that when they met up...

_We aren't...we aren't like that, are we? Mom teased me about it but I..._

"What're you asking about now, Senna?" Ichigo's gruff voice knocked Senna from her musing, his own eyes looking away from her. His free hand scratched at his brow, the taller boy clearly understanding what it looked like as well.

Yet, he still made no moves to change position. Somehow that just made Senna blush even _harder_.

"Er-I was going to ask about Urahara!" Senna scrambled to answer, trying to fight her embarrassment...and the contentedness she felt right now. "Why do you trust him so much? He's kinda...strange. And that's coming from me!" She couldn't help but smile, at the snort that got from Ichigo. "I mean, he _knows_ things. Even things we don't!"

Ichigo rolled his eyes, despite his own amusement being pretty obvious. "That's what Urahara _does_. He knows more about me than _I_ do, half the time. Trust me on this Senna. Don't try and assume you know something that he doesn't." With another dry snort, Ichigo looked at Senna out of the corner of his eye. "He probably knows it already and can tell you a thousand ways he knows it _better._ I think it's how he gets his kicks."

"So he's a know-it-all?" Senna summarized with a wide smile.

Unsurprisingly, Ichigo didn't bother with a response to that sentence. He just smirked a bit, and continued walking forward. Senna giggled a little at him, and tightened her grip on his hand. The two of them walked through progressively emptier streets, and down ill-kept alleys. She only barely recognized the various old houses and shops they strode past. The last time- the only time -she'd been through here, with Ichigo, Senna hadn't really been in any condition to pay attention. Everything had been a blur that day and walking to Urahara's shop had been no different.

Now? Well, now she saw just how run-down this area was. They were well-past the newer areas of Karakura and into one of the old districts. Urahara didn't want people finding him, did he? Or maybe he was just weird and liked being out of the way of anyone.

_Ahhh...maybe he wants to hide his experiments! Didn't he say he had a secret lab? Or was that Ichigo who told me that..._ Senna giggled again, breaking down into helpless laughter at the dry look Ichigo sent her way. _I guess that Urahara just wants to hide from people. I get that! I like being alone sometimes too, like when I'm on the roof or in the..._

Fighting down the headache she always seemed to get when she thought about her time with Ichigo, Senna let her laughter trail off. "Ichigo? Do you think he can actually help us? I mean, I barely remember anything and I don't know if there's anything he can do about that..."

"Eh, Urahara is an ass, but he knows what he's doing." Ichigo shrugged his shoulders, as the pair rounded a final corner into a wide courtyard. A courtyard with a dingy, run-down old wooden shop at the end. "If _anyone_ can figure out what's happening to us, it's him. I trust him for that at least."

_"Bastard will want something out of it, though."_

Ichigo said that under his breath, and he probably hoped that Senna wouldn't hear it. She did, but she didn't comment on it. She just clenched his hand, and sucked in a deep breath. Moment of truth time, right?

"Oi! Urahara!" Ichigo didn't seem to be nearly as nervous as Senna, since he just raised his free hand to his mouth and belted out a yell at the old shop. "Get your ass out here already! I know you already sensed us!"

"Geez, do ya have to be so _loud_, Strawberry?" It wasn't Urahara who answered the shout, but a short red-haired kid, who grumbled as he stumbled out of the shop. His eyes were narrowed in more than a little anger. "The boss is in the back, settin' things up for you and the girlfriend. Didn't need to _yell_ about it."

Rolling his eyes, Ichigo returned the kid's glare. "Yeah, whatever, brat. Shouldn't you be in school or something?"

"Shouldn't _you_ be in school or somethin'?" The kid parroted back, clenching his hand on a broom in his hand. "God, you're almost as bad as the mooch-"

Before the kid could mouth off any more than that, a massive hand came down on his head and knocked the arrogance right out of him. Along with the broom. "Jinta. What have I told you about insulting our guests?"

"Aww, come on Tessai! Didn't you hear him shoutin' his head off?"

Towering above the kid, Urahara's helper crossed his arms and wore a stoic frown. His eyes were hidden behind his glasses, as he looked down upon the kid. "Jinta. Finish your chores, _then_ you may talk with Mr. Kurosaki about his...habit to yell."

"Yeah yeah..." Jinta muttered, picking up the broom and glaring daggers at Ichigo. Who just returned the expression with his typical scowl.

As for Senna? She just watched everything with wide eyes, feeling like she was missing something...as she often did, these past few days. There was a dynamic here and she had _no idea_ what to think about it. Other than being amused, anyway.

"Who was that kid, anyway?" Senna asked, looking between the sulking boy and Ichigo. "You know him?"

Ichigo scowled, "That brat has been working for Urahara as long as I've known him. He's always been a little pain, from the moment I met him. I just ignore him."

Putting action to words, Ichigo ignored the sputtering from the redhead, and walked straight into Urahara's shop. Senna, having not let go of his hand even once, followed along. Back into the shop where she _knew_ answers were waiting. Answers that she may...may regret knowing.

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"Welcome back, Ichigo and friend!" Urahara tipped his hat, when the pair of teenagers entered into the training ground. "Careful now, I wouldn't want one of you to get hurt, now would I?"

He put a bit of humor into his words, though he didn't necessarily feel it. About all he felt, actually, watching Ichigo carefully climb down the ladder with Senna right above him? Regret. In days past, Ichigo could have simply grabbed the girl and jumped down with her. Not a care in the world, because even his human body was sufficiently durable with latent-spiritual power to tank the fall. He couldn't do that now. His body was as peak as any normal human could get but...even that wasn't enough to do something like jump into the training room.

_Regret. Even after everything, not a feeling I am accustomed to. Or fond of._ Urahara let his hat hide his eyes, and by extension, what he was thinking. _I suppose I deserve it for using Ichigo as a weapon all that time. Even so, I am hopeful that we may yet restore his powers. An ember can light a blaze, and the 'spark' in the metaphor may well be the former Shinenju. Certainly she has power all her own._

A power that, despite himself, Urahara was quite interested in examining. So he cupped his hands to his mouth, and shouted up at the pair. "Come on now! We have work to do, and I don't want to keep you too long! You have lives outside my humble shop, I'm sure!"

"Make up your damn mind, Urahara! Do you want us to be careful or quick?!" Ichigo shouted back, and that alone brought a little salve to Urahara's wounded feelings. It was more emotion than the teenager had shown in _months_.

"You know better than to ask that question, Ichigo!"

Chuckling at the way the boy grumbled at him, Urahara shifted his hidden gaze to the girl who stepped off the ladder beside his student and friend. The girl with purple hair and orange eyes, looking at his training room with obvious awe in her expression. As nice as that was for his ego, he ignored it for the moment. Instead, he took in a breath and reached out with his senses to brush against the girl's soul.

"Hmm...her power is..." Urahara clicked his tongue, and frowned just a little. "There's a sensation I haven't felt in a _long_ time. She'll be a nice challenge."

The girl's power was hiding, just beneath the surface, and she had no idea about it at _all_. She was kind of like Ichigo. A human with dormant powers, just waiting to be woken up. The difference between the two was that Ichigo gained his power from being the child of a Shinigami _and_ a spiritually aware human. Not just any human, but a powerful pure-blooded _Quincy_ at that. Not that Ichigo knew that little tidbit, and Urahara wouldn't be the one to tell him.

_Isshin, you will have to tell your children everything eventually. I won't keep your secrets forever._

That aside, and back to the girl...she was a different beast, and one that had _all_ of Urahara's attention. He'd made discreet inquiries into the girl's family, once Ichigo had brought her to his shop. Not only were her parents not spiritually aware, they were as _normal_ as any human could possibly be. No Quincy blood in the entire family tree, and no latent power like that one fellow who kept inadvertently creating Hollows. By all logic, Senna Yagiri should have _no power_ whatsoever.

"Yet, here you are, with enough latent power to be a seated officer. Quite fascinating, really." Urahara muttered to himself, as the pair of teenagers began walking toward him. His main goal was still to salve his own guilt over what had happened to Ichigo, but he had found another goal. Another reason for doing this. "I am going to _enjoy_ figuring out what makes your power tick, Shinenju."

"You say something, Urahara?" Ichigo called out, narrowing his eyes at the 'humble shopkeeper'. "I know that look. Don't tell me you're planning on making me wear that stupid headband again, are you?"

_Oh Ichigo, you never have been able to guess my motives._ Urahara gracefully ignored the times that his student _had_ seen right through him. "That 'stupid headband' was one of my greatest inventions, Ichigo! You surely would have died had you not worn it!"

"Yeah right, that thing didn't protect me at all." The teenager grumbled, sending a glance at his friend. "And don't even _ask_ about that, Senna. I don't even want to think about it."

"But..." Senna looked with wide orange eyes at Ichigo, a bit of a pout on her lips.

"No!"

Urahara hid a smile behind his fan. Even without deciding to do this, he imagined the two would have done a lot of good without power. Ichigo would certainly become more like his old self. He already _had_. Still, though, work waited to be done. "At any rate, I have no intention of repeating your old training, Ichigo." When the teenager turned back to him, Urahara shrugged and waved his fan a little bit. "That training worked because you had latent power to draw out. Ururu trained your body to handle your power. We can't do that if you have nothing to train."

Harsh, perhaps, but the truth. Urahara felt a pang of his own guilt, at the way Ichigo's scowl deepened and his hands clenched. It was, after all, his own fault that the teenager had no power to draw out. He was too weak to defeat Aizen, and had relied on Ichigo becoming strong enough to do it in his stead. The only way even Ichigo had become powerful enough...it didn't bear thinking. Urahara knew he would be completely lost without his powers.

"So what, then. You can't give me my powers back?" Ichigo's voice was bitter and filled with honest frustration. "Fine, I already knew I wouldn't get those back. Can you at least help Senna?"

"Ichigo..." Senna stared at him, her voice soft when she reached her hand out to grasp his arm. "Maybe I can help you? You've been helping me, after all! I'm sure there's a way to get your power back. There has to be!"

Turning to look at her, Ichigo's eyes were filled with an old pain. "No, there isn't. Zangetsu told me if I used the Final Getsuga Tensho that I would lose my power for good. There's no taking that back, is there, Urahara?"

The final words were spoken with his eyes staring at Urahara even if his face didn't move. His scowl firmly in place.

"Weeeellll..." For his part, Urahara waved his fan again. He didn't miss how Ichigo's eyes narrowed at him. "This is all uncharted territory, I'm afraid, but I have _some_ ideas on ways to restore your power. All experimental, of course, and I can't say for sure that any would work. Though..." Here, the old scientist chuckled. "That's half the fun in experimenting, isn't it?"

Ichigo _stared_, and spoke with a deadpan tone. "Who said I want to be your guinea pig?"

"The way you've been moping without your powers?" Urahara shot back, though with no heat. He still felt too responsible for the situation to do that. "At any rate, I feel the most likely solution will come in helping your friend regain her _own_ power. She is similar to how you were, as her own power is just beneath the surface."

"My...own power?" Senna blinked, looking down at her hands. Well, hand. One was still clenching Ichigo's own. "I _kinda_ remember having powers now, but I thought all of that was gone? You said that last time I was here!"

Urahara nodded, "Indeed, the power of the Shinenju is gone. I _also_ mentioned you had some level of power left, the last time we met. That power is what I hope to bring out. Though I will warn you..."

Red light flared around Urahara, as he lifted his cane up and smiled at Ichigo and Senna.

"...my training is not the nicest in the world."

All Senna could do to respond, was hold Ichigo's hand tight and squeak out a simple, "Eeep..."

* * *

**As my muse is being difficult on the things I was planning on working with, I came to this since my muse was actually being cooperative with it. Same as usual, not a horribly long chapter, but hey. At least I was able to write _something_, is how I look at things.**

**We'll get into the actual training next chapter.**


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